Actually, if you go for the Pioneer Elite VSX-32 A/V receiver, wouldn't you be getting the same audio output quality and video feature suite as a BDP-320/23FD? So as long as you have that receiver, as much as I don't like the fact that these newer players are designed by Sharp, if I coupled these new players with the VSX-32, I would get BDP-320/23FD audio quality because of the receiver's analog section, multi-channel PQLS, and high-quality upscaling from 480i via HDMI. Besides, by spending money on a receiver such as the VSX-32, you don't have to constantly buy players with good analog audio and good video upscaling. I'm thinking about making this move next summer.

I believe these should be released before Christmas. Just because they are slim in size, that alone doesn't make them Sharp designs. What would make them Sharp designs is if their user interface is similar to the BDP-120, BDP-330, BDP-31FD, and BDP-33FD. If their user interface is similar to the DV-49AV/420V/58AV, then they would be true Pioneer designs, primarily designed to be used as transports with their 2010 A/V receivers. Although I somewhat remember mension of that wireless USB dongle, which suggests to me that they will be the same as the 120/330/31FD/33FD sharp designs. On the other hand, there wasn't any mension of Sharp terminology such as Quick Start. So unless someone has seen a beta/demo unit, let's not make judgments until they hit the shelves.

I have seen both the LX54 and 430 in action on this years IFA in Berlin. Both have the same connectors on the backside and the same ugly menus like the 330/LX53. Definitely a Sharpioneer.

This is hard, concrete, physical evidence that these are designed by Sharp. Bummer! As a European, I'm sure you remember the DV-400V/410V/420V/600AV/610AV/LX50 MediaTek SD players. Now that MediaTek has gone Blu-ray, you'd think that Pioneer would basicly just add Blu-ray to their DV-420V, DV-610AV, and DV-LX50 platforms. Also, if you've heard of the modded firmware at pioneerfaq.info developed by Hakan, the fact that Pioneer stopped using MediaTek as their chipset makes it so that Hakan can no longer develope modded firmware for us! I hope Pioneer eventually returns to the DV-420V/610AV/LX50 platform. That would make their BD players a big hit!

I never had a Pioneer DVD player. I bought the BDP-320 because of its excellent PQ for a reasonable price, then I switched to the BDP-LX52. Both the 2008 and 2009 generation of Pioneer BD players have a Renesas chipset which was designed specifically for Pioneer's needs and quality demands (which are now gone due to the financial issues). That's why these players are so unique.

I never had a Pioneer DVD player. I bought the BDP-320 because of its excellent PQ for a reasonable price, then I switched to the BDP-LX52. Both the 2008 and 2009 generation of Pioneer BD players have a Renesas chipset which was designed specifically for Pioneer's needs and quality demands (which are now gone due to the financial issues). That's why these players are so unique.

Believe me. When Pioneer started using the MediaTek MT1389 in their DVD players, especially the DV-610AV/LX50, they were the best SD players! The DV-LX50 was fine if you needed high-quality analog output to accomidate an outdated receiver. The DV-610AV was perfect for an up-to-date all-HDMI setup. MediaTek didn't start going Blu-ray until 2009. The Oppo BDP-83 was the first Blu-ray player to use a MediaTek chipset. Now that Yamaha, LG, and Philips of Europe are using the MediaTek chipset for Blu-ray, Pioneer really should resurrect their DV-610AV and DV-LX50 and make Blu-ray versions of those SD players with the MediaTek chipset. Then you'd have speed, functionality, responsiveness, and acceptable DVD upscaling. It would be better than having Sharp design their players. Also, wouldn't the MediaTek chipset be less expensive than the Renesas?

Believe me. When Pioneer started using the MediaTek MT1389 in their DVD players, especially the DV-610AV/LX50, they were the best SD players! The DV-LX50 was fine if you needed high-quality analog output to accomidate an outdated receiver. The DV-610AV was perfect for an up-to-date all-HDMI setup. MediaTek didn't start going Blu-ray until 2009. The Oppo BDP-83 was the first Blu-ray player to use a MediaTek chipset. Now that Yamaha, LG, and Philips of Europe are using the MediaTek chipset for Blu-ray, Pioneer really should resurrect their DV-610AV and DV-LX50 and make Blu-ray versions of those SD players with the MediaTek chipset. Then you'd have speed, functionality, responsiveness, and acceptable DVD upscaling. It would be better than having Sharp design their players. Also, wouldn't the MediaTek chipset be less expensive than the Renesas?

Quick correction...JVC and LG were using it before Oppo. More inportantly, the 320 is a more capable dvd upconverter than the mediatek chipset in blu rays standalone. The mediatek is superior at recognizing obscure cadences, but the Pioneer's SoC is superior for realworld usage.

Quick correction...JVC and LG were using it before Oppo. More inportantly, the 320 is a more capable dvd upconverter than the mediatek chipset in blu rays standalone. The mediatek is superior at recognizing obscure cadences, but the Pioneer's SoC is superior for realworld usage.

It's true that the 320 was a better A/V performer, but it does lack things the MediaTek has such as speed, functionality, and video standards Pal and NTSC conversions. So if LG and JVC have been using the MediaTek before Oppo in their Blu-ray players, then Pioneer has had the opertunity to add Blu-ray to the DV-49AV/58AV/610AV/LX50 for quite some time now! If Pioneer wants to regain their optical disc reputation, now that we don't need 5.1-channel analog anymore, all they have to do is redesign the DV-420V and DV-49AV/610AV by replacing the MT1389 with the MT8520/8530 and add Blu-ray to them. Oppo did the same thing with their DV-980H when they designed the BDP-80. Just think ... A MediaTek Blu-ray player with multi-channel PQLS that can play DVD-A/SACD, and also, uses firmware that Hakan from pioneerfaq.info would be able to modify!

The European 320 did PAL and NTSC conversions just fine but it lacked the analog output section.

I think it converted NTSC to Pal, but not Pal to NTSC. You guys had no multi-channel analog out, while we didn't have Pal-to-NTSC. So I guess we're even. For now, I'll live with my LG BD530 for Blu-ray and my Pioneer Elite DV-49AV for SD, multi-region, and SACD. However, I will be waiting for the moment Pioneer makes that BD version of their DV-49AV/58AV/420V/610AV/LX50 with multi-channel PQLS! A 176.4 KHz DSD-to-PCM conversion would be nice, as opposed to the 88.2 KHz standard.

After someone checked service manuals for the BDP-330 and BDP-430, they both use an IXC893WJQZ chipset. So I guess Sharp somehow added WMV to, and removed the Sharp-exclusive Quick Start feature from their chipset. Bummer! I thought that maybe adding WMV support and removing Quick Start would suggest a MediaTek chipset. But instead, here's what we've got. The Pioneer BDP-430 is a Sharp BD-HP80U. The Elite BDP-41FD is a Sharp BD-HP90U. I wish I had gotten a BDP-23FD so I could have taken advantage of multi-channel PQLS, but everybody is sold out of them unfortunately. Oh well. At least I got an Elite VSX-32 audio/video receiver. For now, I'm coupling it with an LG BD530. It behaves as though it uses a MediaTek Blu-ray solution. It's disc loading speed and functionality are fantastic! I don't like its Fisher Price user interface or its noisy disc mechanism, but considering what I paid for it, I guess it'll have to do unless Pioneer gets their act together.

After someone checked service manuals for the BDP-330 and BDP-430, they both use an IXC893WJQZ chipset. So I guess Sharp somehow added WMV to, and removed the Sharp-exclusive Quick Start feature from their chipset. Bummer! I thought that maybe adding WMV support and removing Quick Start would suggest a MediaTek chipset. But instead, here's what we've got. The Pioneer BDP-430 is a Sharp BD-HP80U. The Elite BDP-41FD is a Sharp BD-HP90U. I wish I had gotten a BDP-23FD so I could have taken advantage of multi-channel PQLS, but everybody is sold out of them unfortunately. Oh well. At least I got an Elite VSX-32 audio/video receiver. For now, I'm coupling it with an LG BD530. It behaves as though it uses a MediaTek Blu-ray solution. It's disc loading speed and functionality are fantastic! I don't like its Fisher Price user interface or its noisy disc mechanism, but considering what I paid for it, I guess it'll have to do unless Pioneer gets their act together.

If you look at the product detail pages for the BDP-430, BDP-41FD, and BDP-43FD, notice Pioneer states that these players have faster load times than their previous BD players. So now I'm wondering if the US models use different hardware than the European models.

After reading the manual, I discovered a possible drawback to this new player lineup. These new players can't do 480i via HDMI. Why would Pioneer drop this option, considering the VSX-1120 includes the Marvell processing? Of course, if my screen reader isn't reading the manual correctly, please correct me on this.

Assuming Pioneer will not be debuting any BD players at the 2011 CES, I think I'll wait until spring or summer and pull the trigger on either the BDP-41FD or BDP-43FD once the price drops to $250 or less on one of the Elite versions. I really want multi-channel PQLS for movies! After reading the product description on Pioneer's website, as well as the owner's manual, discovering things such as the absence of Sharp's "Quick Start" feature, as well as Pioneer stating how much faster these newer players are compared to their previous ones, I have a good feeling about these players. Also, I'm becoming more and more attached to the Pioneer chassis and want all my components to match the style of my Elite VSX-32 A/V receiver. I'll try to order from a dealer with a good returns policy, in case the Sharponeers are really as bad as some of you profess to this day.

There were none of the advanced video adjustments of the LX52 nor were there any adjustments for the TV type other than resolution and aspect ratio and i didn't notice any info about the bitrate etc, maybe it was just the front menus that were different.

what did the picture adjustments look like? presets for pdp, lcd, etc? was bit rate shown with display?

I don't know if you were being sarcastic, mocking, etc., but there are no picture adjustments on these players. However, if you use it with a VSX-1120 or VSX-32 receiver which has all your adjustments, wouldn't that accomidate for the features missing on the player?

Am I right in assuming that the Pioneer BDP-430 is the same thing as the Sharp BD-HP80U, and the Pioneer Elite BDP-41FD/43FD are the same thing as the Sharp BD-HP90U? If so, then while the Pioneer BDP-330/31FD/33FD had some Sharp in them, maybe the Sharp BD-HP80U/90U have some Pioneer in them. And maybe both Sharp and Pioneer are finally headed in the right direction afterall!

Am I right in assuming that the Pioneer BDP-430 is the same thing as the Sharp BD-HP80U, and the Pioneer Elite BDP-41FD/43FD are the same thing as the Sharp BD-HP90U? If so, then while the Pioneer BDP-330/31FD/33FD had some Sharp in them, maybe the Sharp BD-HP80U/90U have some Pioneer in them. And maybe both Sharp and Pioneer are finally headed in the right direction afterall!

I don't know, I'm just trying to decide whether to spend nearly twice as much and get the LX54 over the LX52!!

The LX52 is winning at the moment due to the price and the known quality but if the LX54 offers just as good picture and quicker performance then it becomes a more difficult decision hopefully whichever one I go for will improve over my Sony 350!!